How to Survive at the Academy
chapter-205

The next morning. The details surrounding the death of the head of Austin Abbey were officially announced among the nuns.

Natural death due to aging. She had overworked herself preparing for the prayer meeting for days and even ran around the rooftop of the abbey in the middle of the night, causing excessive blood flow and sudden cardiac arrest due to heart failure.

In reality, it was clear that she had been murdered, but the announcement had been made in that manner.

Considering the age of the head of Austin Abbey, it could be excused as natural death despite it being sudden. Among the general nuns, there was no particular sign of suspicion.

The abbey was plunged into grief and despair over the tragic news of the head of Austin Abbey’s passing.

It was not difficult to silence those who knew the truth about the murder.

Bishop Assistant Merlin, who knew all the truths, naturally did not want to make the issue big.

Princess Persica also had no reason to refuse if she could wrap up the event as a natural death.

I personally convinced Saint Clarice. Since the deceased head of Austin Abbey would have wished for matters to be concluded this way, saint Clarice did not oppose.

Since the three parties leading the case all agreed, the rest of the process proceeded swiftly.

The visiting nobles who knew the details of the murder also agreed not to publicize the murder since it wouldn’t do them any good to draw suspicion to themselves.

This was because they, too, could get unnecessarily involved if the situation escalated since they had been at the scene.

With the words of Saint Clarice and Princess Persica that the investigation would proceed quietly behind the scenes, everyone nodded in agreement….

And thus, the truth about the Ain tribe was buried in history.

The next morning.

After things had somewhat settled, I heard that a memorial for the head of Austin Abbey had been set up at the abbey’s entrance.

Life at the abbey starts early in the morning. Despite being tired from being interviewed and giving testimonies all night, I couldn’t just stay in my room when all the other nuns had gone to pay their respects to the head of Austin Abbey.

As I forced my eyes open to the sound of waves coming from outside my window, fatigue washed over me.

Today, I must return to Sylvania Academy, which means a day of traveling by carriage, and I’m already worried about my poor condition. However, there’s not much time to participate in the memorial for the head of Austin Abbey. I have to get up now if I’m going to get up at all.

It shouldn’t be so difficult to feel such a heavy weight in my body.

I’m not overexerting myself compared to living in the camp, so why does my body feel so heavy?

Feeling this unease, I pulled back the blanket, only to find Lucy sleeping with her head buried in my chest.

“…”

My witch’s hat, which I never separate from my body, was dutifully placed beside the pillow. Maybe this was a foreshadowing…

I remember bringing her in because she seemed noticeably depressed yesterday, and it seemed awkward to leave her alone.

Telling her it’s okay over and over didn’t seem to be much of a comfort, so I just stayed by her side.

When a person is really struggling and worried, having someone simply stand by like a wall is often the most meaningful.

“Hey, Lucy.”

But now was the time to get up.

I called her name softly a few times to wake her up, and her eyelids quickly opened. Her characteristic sluggish, even-tempered pale blue eyes met mine, and suddenly, she pressed around my solar plexus and sat up.

It seemed she didn’t know when she had fallen asleep either. She rubbed her mouth with her sleeve while squinting her eyes, and then she spoke in a voice more agitated than usual.

“I didn’t realize I had fallen asleep.”

“It’s understandable, given everything you went through yesterday…”

Was it a mistake to bring up yesterday?

As I remembered her wrapping her arms around mine and the big tear drops falling, I was belatedly filled with a sense of shame, and Lucy was unable to continue her words.

“… There’s no need to panic. It happens to everyone.”

The way she was hesitating and stammering, you’d think she caused some major trouble last night. As I’ve said many times, all Lucy Mayrill did was cry until she fell asleep.

The fact that it happened in my arms could be embarrassing for her, but that doesn’t mean I’m in a position to offer comfort.

Lucy, belatedly rubbing her eyelids with her sleeve, tried to maintain a poker face as if nothing had happened. However, it didn’t seem to go as well as she had thought.

Her gaze darted around, which seemed new. Considering her usual detached, sage-like demeanor, this was quite an uncommon occurrence.

“Anyway… we should get moving. We’re heading back to Sylvania today and need to get ready… Above all, we have to attend the memorial service for that old lady. It should’ve started by now. The abbey’s mornings are incredibly early.”

Looking outside, the morning mist still lingered faintly. The mist would be gone by the time I got ready and went outside, but it was still time before the sun had fully risen.

“We have to wrap up the day.”

As the name of the head of Austin Abbey was mentioned, Lucy nodded obediently, as if she felt something… It was quite an unusual sight for her.

From there, everything proceeded rapidly. I went to the first-floor washing facilities with Lucy, who gripped my sleeve tightly, and splashed cold water on our faces.

After a quick wash, I dressed in a coat, leather pants, and a mage’s robe. I then tidied up Lucy’s somewhat disheveled uniform by fixing her tie pin and rearranging her shirt so that the buttons matched properly.

It was all so natural that the passing nuns looked at us with curiosity… but since it was a once-off encounter, there was no need to care.

I then went downstairs with Lucy, still gripping my sleeve.

Lucy still seemed weak in the mornings, swaying like a paper doll in the wind, but when she saw the scene at the abbey’s main gate that early morning, she bit her lip as if determined.

The portrait of Austin surrounded by towering floral tributes. The morning sun rising from the eastern sky. The crashing of the waves.

In between, the sight of the nuns solemnly praying as if time had stopped…

Lucy and I just watched the scene for a while.

*

“Thank you for taking good care of Aileen. She’s resting well in her room now. We’ll make sure to take care of everything before it gets dark.”

I handed over the girl, Aileen, whom Lucy had been tending to, to Auxiliary Bishop Merlin.

After the death of the head of Austin Abbey, the management authority of the abbey had passed to her, as she was essentially the deputy bishop of the area.

Moreover, there were few within the abbey who knew the truth about the Ain tribe. As the highest-ranking among them, she was the best person to entrust Aileen to.

After the main prayer of the memorial service, it was time for everyone to sit down and freely pray for the head of Austin Abbey. No one would object to us leaving now, but many nuns still sat praying quietly in front of her portrait.

Auxiliary Bishop Merlin, who had finished basic work, saw this as an opportunity to speak to me. She had been looking at me leaning against the back wall of the memorial site.

“You seem to be deeply saddened… It was an act impulsively committed under the influence of the full moon, so the other Ain tribe members will understand.”

She spoke quietly and slowly explained the situation. She was already dressed in the abbey head’s clothes.

News had arrived early that morning from Holy King Eldain. As soon as he heard about the death of the head of Austin Abbey, he immediately sent his condolences.

He then promptly appointed her as the abbey head and instructed her to neatly wrap up the situation.

“All the other Ain tribe children understand as well. They know that this bloodlust could have led them to make the same mistake… It’s something that could happen to them at any time, not just to Aileen.”

“… At least she won’t be harmed for attacking the head of Austin Abbey.”

“Yes. Everyone will understand. However… whether she can forgive herself is an entirely different story.”

When I found Aileen, she was crying, with her face buried in her knees and her blood-stained hands wiping her tears.

It was a wound too deep for a girl who had not yet had her coming-of-age ceremony. I could feel sympathy, but it would be overstepping to take responsibility for her.

It’s something she has to overcome on her own. Sending support in my heart was enough.

“Would you like to offer a prayer? You can lay a floral tribute even if you’re not part of the abbey.”

“Yes.”

Before I could answer, Lucy nodded first.

Auxiliary Bishop Merlin started, glancing at Lucy. She then gracefully nodded with closed eyes to answer on our behalf.

Lucy, like me, doesn’t harbor faith in anything divine.

She’s a girl who once poured magic against an evil god. Nevertheless, out of respect for the departed Austin… she offered a pure white rose and folded her hands in prayer.

It was a different side from when she would lazily nap anywhere.

At that moment, Lucy, the girl, was serious when she needed to be.

“Are you leaving for Sylvania today?”

“Yes. A carriage is scheduled to come at low tide later tonight. Until then, I’ll stay at the memorial service.”

“You can take your time to rest as well. Everyone has already laid their tributes, and there are not many procedures left anyway.”

“It’s fine. I’ll stay at the service.”

The memorial service, set up at the entrance of the abbey, was still bustling with nuns as time passed.

Although it was gloomy standing among mourning nuns all day, I didn’t mind.

Lucy despises such crowded places. Yet she didn’t utter a single complaint and sat by me the whole time.

Occasionally, when a familiar nun passed by, they would exchange words of comfort, and they also shared stories about Austin’s life.

As the procession of nuns went by, now it was the turn for the external visitors to come.

Most of them knew the details of Austin’s murder, so their expressions were restless. Yet, they paid their respects to her noble life and departed.

There was no need to wear such strange, guilt-laden expressions. After all, such an ending was probably what Austin would have wanted the most.

I didn’t witness it personally, but I’m sure that’s the case.

I sensed she was able to appreciate it. No doubt she left this world laughing heartily, more so than anyone else. I sat quietly and watched as distinguished guests left. Next, it was Saintess Clarice herself who came to pay her respects with a floral tribute. Receiving a personal commemoration from Clarice, the spiritual pillar of the Telos Order, was considered the highest honor at the time of one’s departure from this world.

Abbot Austin, regardless of what others said, was an individual recognized as worthy of such an esteemed commemoration. Following that was the tribute from Princess Persica. Approaching with a solemn demeanor, her face etched with complexity, she laid her flowers at the memorial.

The Princess and the Saintess.

A girl born of the world’s most noble lineage and another blessed by the gods of the afterlife.

With condolences from both, so departed Abbot Austin, after a life that could be summed up in a single line, yet was truly turbulent to say the least.

*

“The carriages from Sylvania have arrived at the coast. The Saintess is also ready to leave, so you may proceed towards the main gate. I extend my deepest gratitude on behalf of the acting bishop for staying with us to the end. Sir Ed Rothtaylor.”

“…”

“Our Cledric Monastery will not forget the unreserved support provided by the Rothtaylor family to get us through this ordeal without significant trouble,” said Merlin, the auxiliary bishop, bowing his head deeply in gratitude.

My position required no such gratuitous thanks, so with a casual wave of my hand, I assured it was okay. Even after the nuns left for their duties and guests trickled out, Lucy and I remained.

When it was time to tidy up after the memorial, Lucy used her magic to clean up efficiently, and I too offered a helping hand wherever strength was needed. By sunset, all tasks were neatly concluded. The only things left were Austin’s portrait, smiling broadly, and the funeral stand laden with flowers.

Time had significantly passed, reaching low tide. Without realizing, the day had passed in a blur.

“…!”

Lucy suddenly sharpened her gaze and looked around, sensing an anomaly.

As often repeated, monasteries rise early and likewise end their nights early.

When the moon is halfway across the sky, over half of the nuns have already retired to bed.

And with the nuns descending towards the monastery entrance leading to the coastline almost non-existent at this hour, matching the bedtime would be impossible.

Thanks to that, the area around the funeral stand had become completely silent. The intermediate gate leading to the outer wall was closed, leaving no chance for others to enter.

Between the outer wall and the monastery gates, a makeshift memorial space – albeit isolated by iron bars, some nuns had managed to climb over the outside walls. Lucy had noticed the rustling of these nuns.

Approximately ten girls, each with the ears and tails of beasts, had landed expertly. Their odd appearance, animal traits apparent, did not suggest they were afflicted by the madness of the full moon.

Occasional purring noises, although not aggressive, indicated they retained their sanity, not lost to the feral blood that ran in the Ain.

The cause was the death of their benefactor.

All day, the Ain girls had been hiding, waiting for the still of night when presences vanished.

Together they gathered in front of the funeral stand. The standard memorials had already been cleared, leaving only the stand.

Unperturbed, the girls congregated to pray – the last visitors to this memorial.

Some knelt on nearby rocks, others sat on the ground, quietly hanging their tails as they continued to pray.

At the forefront was Aileen, tear-streaked, sitting with her rich golden hair strewn across the ground, in dirt-streaked nun’s attire, her prayers anointed by moonlight…

Indeed, even mingled with beastly blood, she was the image of a fervent devotee serving the gods.

“It’ll be problematic if we’re late.”

“…Understood.”

The tide was now low enough for us to head towards the coast. Leaving behind the sight of the Ain girls praying under the moonlight, it was time for me to move on.

If I didn’t leave now, I’d be stuck in the monastery until the next day without fail.

It wasn’t a major issue, but I desired to return to the academy to focus on my studies. Despite having submitted for leave, falling further behind in the curriculum was the last thing I wanted.

Noting my mood, Merlin, the auxiliary bishop, smiled with his eyes shut.

“It’s time to get back to normal life. For everyone.”

Once the departed are gone, daily life returns as if they had never existed.

The hands of the clock tick forward, the sun rises and sets, and before one knows it, life concludes, as if a curtain falls suddenly.

While some may find this cycle of life empty or meaningless,

Others find and attribute meaning even within the monotony and repetition of everyday life.

The sun still rises over Cledric Monastery, even without Austin. Though the dead are silent, the lives of the living must go on.

After all, we have survived.

We must continue to live.

*

“That’s roughly what happened.”

“Ugh, that must have been rough.”

“I haven’t really struggled much. Most of the time was spent sitting idly by. But… it’s still quite surprising…”

Returning from the monastery to the camp, I was astonished.

Before leaving for the camp, there was continuous construction work for an annex, but upon my return, the exterior work was nearly complete.

Considering the most labor-intensive part was processing and refining the logs… erecting the structure itself wasn’t too difficult with the spirits’ help.

But even so, I had not expected that Yenika could finish it all during the short period while I resided at the monastery.

Reflecting on it… Yenika herself had constructed her hut in just five days through the spirits’ forced march.

Tarkan’s leadership… if that’s what it could be called… allowed for the spirits’ movements to become impeccably coordinated, achieving exceptional efficiency beyond ordinary limits.

Obviously, since Tarkan’s way of thinking was anything but ordinary.

Using spirit sensitivities to survey the camp, I saw the lower spirits sprawled out, exhausted as if lifeless.

Muk, who had come with me to Cledric Monastery, looked at the exhausted spirits with a complex gaze.

It was like looking at his own past of just a few years ago. Now a middle-ranked spirit, he didn’t suffer as much, but if he had stayed at the camp, he, too, would not have been spared.

[I am truly grateful for the contract with Sir Ed. We shall be lifelong companions… This unworthy Muk swears eternal loyalty….!!!]

It seemed he had much to feel.

“Did… Did they really build all this…?”

The cabin, perfectly constructed to my earlier design, presented itself right before my eyes.

A large oak tree spreading its branches next to the camp, with a large one-story hut built around its trunk, and one tall support pillar gracefully supporting the second floor.

The impeccable and complete result made me forget about my intent to practice carpentry. This craftsmanship was beyond my solitary abilities. Every window, precisely framed, every log, expertly fitted together, reached the realm of emotional impact.

The joint areas were bolted with iron, and all protruding parts appeared shaved down. The earnest work of the spirits, led into this fine craftsmanship, was astonishing.

“Hehe~.”

Yenika giggled shyly and flashed a V-sign with her fingers, then suddenly bowed her head, seemingly embarrassed.

“To be honest… I had planned to only establish halfway, but Tarkan took over while I was away for my Scholar’s lessons and finished everything…”

“Are the other spirits okay?”

“It seems they continued the construction into the night without me knowing… While I was away for classes, they even did additional work… Tarkan hid it, perhaps fearing my reprimand… Once I found out, I did scold him, but…”

Yenika fiddled awkwardly with the tips of her fingers, a clear case of the spirits’ excessive devotion.

Anyhow, it was nice to receive the spirits’ love, but seeing them exhausted on the ground, even Yenika’s heart would not be pleased.

Still, Tarkan’s satisfied face, gazing upon the hut, flickered in my mind. He must be gleefully withholding his laughs.

“Well, anyway, post-construction care for the spirits is something I can handle! Ed should just be happy, right?! Yay! Yay!”

“Cheering doesn’t change the situation, but… it’s certainly good news for me.”

I looked up at the enlarged hut.

I also glanced at the wooden shelter built on the side of the camp – the first shelter I made and the spot where I had fallen asleep on the first night among the cold breeze and insects.

Seeing the overwhelming difference in size brought up complex feelings, which I soothed by pressing on my forehead.

Was this… the wave of emotion?

“The interior is still empty. I’m not sure about the furniture arrangement, so you’ll have to do it yourself, Ed!”

“… Right.”

A simple furniture arrangement is something I can happily handle alone a hundred times over. The second floor would be my library and arcane workshop, the ground floor for living – if I’m planning accordingly… all delicate and sensitive equipment will need to be upstairs.

While pondering the logistics and how to arrange the furniture, I found myself delightfully preoccupied.

“Speaking of which, Ed, you have to go back to classes tomorrow, right?”

“Huh? Yeah, that’s right.”

“Then, since you’ve just arrived at the Academy, you might not know this.”

Yenika hung a pot over the fire she had started in the bonfire, preparing for our meal, rolling up her sleeves.

“It’s about your sister Tanya… she’s initiating a new student assembly… Seems she also plans to invite you. It’s kind of a convocation call.”

It was within the student president’s rights to call a student assembly.

However, Yenika tilted her head with curiosity as she spoke.

“But the pretext for the assembly is a bit unusual… and the members, mostly renowned noble children, are invited, hence there are many rumors…”

“What rumors?”

“Some say that the student president… is attempting to form an independent power base, not just within Sylvania but also to wield influence externally…”

At that, I found myself instinctively tilting my head as well.

One thing was certain… I had a feeling Tanya was drafting some plans.

It felt like… I needed to ask her directly.